9 material differences · fewer than 12
Tractor oneDavid Brown 990 Selectmatic1965–1979No measured PTO figureTractor twoInternational Harvester 5531972–1974No measured PTO figure
Which should you choose?
We will not advise between these two machines, because the drive differs (2WD; Two-wheel or four-wheel drive). The figures below are side by side so you can judge them yourself; each says whether it was measured, claimed or declared by its source.
Field by field
9 material differences · 4 fields identical or within 5%, which is not counted as material
| Field | 990 Selectmatic | 553 | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | |||
| Engine power, claimed claimed | — | 51.1 hp | — |
| Engine declared | DAVID BROWN AD 4/47 or AD 4/49 A (B) | IHC D-179 | differs |
| Displacement declared | — | 2.93 L | — |
| Maximum torque declared | 140 lb·ft · 190 N·m | 142 lb·ft · 192 N·m | — |
| Transmission | |||
| Top speed declared | 15.5 mph · 25 km/h | 17.4 mph · 28 km/h | +12% 553 |
| Clutch declared | pedal-operated dry Borg & Beck single-disc clutch | Single-plate dry clutch | differs |
| Hydraulics & hitch | |||
| Pump flow declared | 7.3 gpm · 27.5 L/min | 6.8 gpm · 25.6 L/min | +7% 990 Selectmatic |
| Rear PTO speeds declared | 540 rpm | 1000 rpm | differs |
| Weight & dimensions | |||
| Unladen weight declared | 5,688 lb · 2,580 kg | 5,765 lb · 2,615 kg | — |
| Wheelbase declared | 78.7 in · 2,000 mm | 78.7 in · 2,000 mm | — |
| Length declared | 126.0 in · 3,200 mm | 135.0 in · 3,430 mm | +7% 553 |
| Width declared | 67.0 in · 1,702 mm | 70.4 in · 1,788 mm | — |
| Ground clearance declared | 21.4 in · 543 mm | 17.5 in · 445 mm | +22% 990 Selectmatic |
| Turning radius, braked declared | 10.3 ft · 3.14 m | 12.0 ft · 3.65 m | +16% 553 |
| Fuel tank declared | 64.9 qt · 61.4 L | 74.0 qt · 70 L | +14% 553 |
Height is not in this table. It is not one measurement: the sources measure it to different points — over the cab on some machines, over the steering wheel or the exhaust on others — and the same tractor measured two ways can differ by most of a metre. It appears here only when both machines' figures carry the point they were measured to and it is the same point, which is not the case for these two. Each machine's own page prints its height as its source gives it.
David Brown 990 Selectmatic sources
- Source: Traktorenlexikon, “David Brown 990”
International Harvester 553 sources
- Source: Traktorenlexikon, “IHC 553”